WHERE TO STAY:

Good-value B&B is available from £75 per night at West Dean College, the former family home of the surrealist Edward James. Nestled in parkland at the foot of the South Downs, near Chichester, the site is a wonderfully atmospheric place to stay and especially for a naturalist. The grounds hold several Firecrest in winter, mostly in the arboretum. For details of the college, visit westdean.org.uk